The Way of the World
by rantandrumour
Summary: Will Molly really be fine after the death of her mother? Oneshot


**A huge thank you to Fern, my awesome beta. **

It was bright and sunny outside, but that didn't match Molly's mood. The wind blew her light brown hair around her face, but she didn't bother to shake it away. It was the first time that she could remember that she had not tied it back, but she wanted to look nice, today of all days.

She wanted to look nice as they put her mother in the ground. Her hair had been beautifully brushed, her best clothes put on. The car had been completely silent on the way to the funeral. No one could believe Alex Drake was dead. Just two weeks ago she had been full of life, fighting the world and everyone in it.

Then Evan's phone had rung. He had given her a look and left the room. Molly knew as soon as he gave her that look that something was wrong.

The minister's voice sounded out loudly across the graveyard, snapping Molly out of her thoughts. "I am convinced, says the apostle Paul, that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able…"

Molly let her mind wander again. She remembered how Evan had sat her down and quietly told her that her mother was missing. He had said that Alex had not shown up to work after they had left her at the Millennium Bridge. Molly's stomach had sunk, and fear had replaced all other emotions she had felt that morning. She remembered the man that her mum had negotiated with, the look of madness in his eyes as he yelled at her. She knew immediately that it was that man who had kidnapped her mother.

The rest of the congregation was speaking now. Molly was forced to listen and join in to the appropriate part, quickly.

"He will not let your foot slip -  
he who watches over you will not slumber;  
indeed, he who watches over Israel  
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you -  
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;  
the sun will not harm you by day,  
nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm -  
he will watch over your life;  
the Lord will watch over your coming and going  
both now and evermore."

The words died on Molly's lips as she remembered when they had found her mother soon after Evan had told her that she was missing. Molly remembered the faces of the doctors as they came out to tell Evan what was going on. They had looked sad, almost as if they had no hope for her at all. Molly had been permitted to see her mum after the surgery. She had nearly burst into tears.

Her mum was lying on a hospital bed, IV's attached to her arms. An oxygen mask was over her mouth and bandages were swathed around her head. But none of that was the first thing she noticed. What she had first noticed was how pale her mother was.

"…Die trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. We now commit the ashes of Alexandra to the ground: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; rejoicing that on the last day Christ will transform the bodies of…" the preacher's voice intoned, breaking into Molly's thoughts again.

The next day, she had gone into her mother's room, only to notice that she looked even paler. Evan had told her that there was an infection. The doctors were slowly administering what he called a 'super-antibiotic,' and if it didn't work, it wasn't going to look good for her mum.

She watched as the last drop of the medicine went through the IV. Molly didn't know what she had hoped for, maybe for her mother to wake up as soon as it was finished. Alex had not, however. The next day, as they were getting ready to go visit her again, Evan's mobile had rung for the last time.

He came back in from the kitchen, into the sitting room, and he looked at her with an expression of complete devastation. "I'm so sorry, Molly."

"…With the family and friends of Alexandra gathered here so that, casting all their care on you, they may know the comfort of your love, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Molly was annoyed. Her mum's name wasn't Alexandra. It was Alex. This preacher didn't know anything about her mother. She stared down at her mother's grave.

Alex Drake was domineering and powerful. She was career focused and stern. She never had enough time for Molly. She didn't even have enough time to buy Molly a birthday present before her birthday. Evan had admitted that she had been going to pick up Molly's birthday present before heading to work that day.

But in spite of all that, Alex Drake had loved her daughter. Something inside Molly had told her that. When her mum was alive and kicking, Molly had always felt like a hindrance. But then, when Alex had fallen into unconsciousness, something inside Molly had stirred. She knew suddenly that her mother had loved her, that she was trying to get back.

But she hadn't made it.

They left the graveyard in silence, Molly staring out the window of the car, trying to hide her tears. Evan didn't try to talk to her, even when they returned to his house. She went up to the room she had there and laid out on her bed, grabbing a card from underneath her pillow. Molly opened it and looked at the last words her mother had left for her.

_Molly,_

_Happy 12__th__ birthday. Just remember no matter how old you get, you'll always be my baby._

_XOXO Mum_

Molly stared at the ceiling through her tears, eventually falling into a deep sleep.

~(*)~

_Her mum was standing in the street along with another man. He was blonde and stood tall. He was looking at her almost in pity. Her mum was crying, holding what looked like her scarf._

"_My baby," her mum said, the tears threatening to spill. _

_The man nodded. "I know, I know, I know. Way of the world, Alex. She'll be fine."_

_Alex nodded. The world fell silent, and Molly watched as her mum kissed this man that she had never met before. She left him, moving towards a pub on the corner. Molly watched as Alex opened the door to the pub, not looking back as she entered._

_~(*)~_

Molly woke with a start. She stared at the photo of her mum and her that sat on her bedside table. Molly looked at the candles that lay in front of the photo and smiled sadly.

"I'll never blow those candles out, Mum," she said quietly. "One day, we'll blow them out together."

**Rant**


End file.
